Hi Cosmo, I like the way you play the ball and not the man, I generally stick to that as well.
I remember a thread about a year ago, where we discussed correct flare/thrust reduction technique for the 737. It seemed to me at the time, that you were quite green?
I don't consider myself overly experienced, but not green either. I think I fall into the 'journeyman' category but everyone will have different ideas on what experience qualifies someone to comment on this topic. I have 19 type ratings if you include turbo props, (737-300/400 and 800 counting as one). I'm current on the 737-400 and 800.
Did you encounter an instant un-forcasted +20 deg temp. increase in clear weather?
Yes. We were below optimum at the time and managed to maintain our FL. the Met guys were consulted and queried about the forecasts and the result was as I commented earlier. There are quite a few other examples of this happening around the world hidden away in incident reports on the net.
My opinion is that there is a reason that you are in the minority with your Max altitude cruising so I'll try and covey my reasoning:
In an earlier post you talked about adding margins to already existing margins. I put it to you that there is no margin when at Max altitude as you are already at a limitation of 100fpm capability and any degradation of performance puts you outside of that requirement.
You have often referred to the lower min manoeuvre band, I don't think that the lower min manoeuvre band is well understood when the aircraft is operating at high altitude and I think it is potentially giving you a false sense of security, that is why I pointed out that it won't move as the temperature increases, (I would appreciate a response to that part of the conversation). Also on that topic, what is it giving you? Nothing relevant in my mind. It is telling you the speed at which the airframe/wings can handle 40 degrees of bank prior to stick shaker if you had unlimited power......you don't, so it's not very useful. The reality is you probably would struggle to maintain straight and level flight at the top of the bar ( at altitude) as it is lower than min drag and the drag is too high to be overcome by the engines.
Can you answer this for me please?
At -56 degrees the aircraft was capable of a 100fpm climb rate, what is it capable of now that the temp is -46 ?
Cheers.